GB2097641A - Trickler unit - Google Patents

Abstract

A trickler unit comprises a cup- shaped housing (1) with an integral axially extending tube (2) which is adapted to communicate with a supply pipe. The bottom of the housing has a flat inner surface with an inlet (4) which communicates with the tube (2) and outlet openings (5) at its periphery. A regulating member in the form of a lens-shaped disc (7) has a convex surface facing the outlet (4) and a flat surface facing a cover (6) by which the housing (1) is closed. Stops (8) are provided for limiting the vertical movement of the disc. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A trickler unit The present invention concerns irrigation trickler units of the kind having a tube with an axial passageway adapted to be connected into the water supply line, a substantially disc-shaped regulating member adapted to close the axial outlet from said passageway, said regulating member being freely movable with respect to said outlet within a housing in which outlet openings for the fluid are provided.

These trickler units will hereinafter be designated as trickler units of the kind defined. The term "water" in the context of the present invention includes any other fluid, e.g. liquid fertilizers and the like.

Trickler units of the kind defined are known. In Israel patent No. 40202 the axial outlet from said passageway is provided in a concave or convex surface, the disc having a corresponding convex or concave surface, respectively, of a different radius of curvature from that of the surface in which the outlet is provided.

In Israel Patent No. 47455 the tube includes an enlarged convex-shaped head through which the axial outlet is formed; the housing includes a depending interior boss; and the regulating disc has a concave surface at both sides thereof, one concave surface facing and adpated to engage said convexshaped head of the tube, and the other concave surface facing and adpated to engage said depending boss.

It can be understood that the water will flow out at greater speed around the axial outlet than on the periphery of the regulating member, so that a force gradient is created which causesthe member to be applied to the outlet thereby lowering the water outflow until an opposite force gradient is created which causes the member to be removed from the outlet and so on.

The accuracy of the water flow depends on the following parameters: A Diameter and form of axial outlet.

B Diameter of convex surface and the shape of the convexity of the body.

C. Diameter of concave surface and the shape of the concavity of the regulating member.

Since the body in which the outlet is formed is manufactured by injection molding the provision of an outlet opening in a concave surface increases the cost of the injection mold and thus the production process and also of necessity must enlarge the tolerances in the diameter and the shape of the opening obtained. However, for the performance of such a trickler unit is is absolutely necessary to obtain an exact diameter of the outlet opening during the injection process, so that with the construction known up to now a distortion of the convex surface results. This in turn results in trickler units with large deviations in the waterflow.

A further difficulty of trickler units of this kind lies in the positioning of the regulating member with relationship to the outlet opening. In the known trickler units each position of the regulating member result in a different working position, i.e. it is not centrally located relative to the outlet, so that with the same trickler unit variations in the flow and in the regulating factor result and its performance is not uniform.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a trickler unit with which the above mentioned drawbacks are overcome. It is a further object of the invention to provide such a unit which is cheap in manufacture, has the regulating member always centrally located relative to the outlet and permits an exactly regulated uniform flow.

The invention consists in a trickler unit comprising a cup-shaped housing with an integral axially extending tube which is adapted to be in communication with a supply pipe, the bottom of said housing having a flat inner surface in which an inlet orifice is provided in communication with said tube and outlet openings at its periphery, a regulating member in the form of a lens-shaped disc having a convex surface facing said orifice and a flat surface facing a cover by which said housing is closed, stops being provided for limiting the vertical movement of said lens.

Owing to the fact that the orifice is provided in a flat-surface the manufacture of the injection mold is uncomplicated and the diameter of the orifice therein can be exactly controlled. The flow is now dependent on two parameters only, namely: a) diameter and shape of orifice; and b) radius and shape of lens.

A further advantage lies in the fact that the same injection mold can be used for the production of trickler units having different flow outputs.

The invention is illustrated, by way of example only, in the accompanying drawing which shows a vertical section of a trickler unit according to the invention.

The trickler unit comprises a cup-shaped housing 1 being integral at its bottom with an axially extending tube 2 which is adapted directly or by any suitable indirect means to be brought into communication with a supply pipe (not shown). In the bottom wall 3 of the housing 1, which is made flat, an orifice 4 is provided in direct communication with tube 2.

Outlet openings 5 are made around the periphery of the flat surface. A cover 6 closes the top of the housing, said cover being adapted to be attached thereto in any suitable manner, i.e. screwing, pressfit, heat welding, or the like. A lens-shaped disc 7 which constitutes the flow regulating member is provided within housing 1, the member having a convex surface facing orifice 4 and a flat surface facing cover 6. The vertical vibrating movement of member 6 is limited by stops 8 integral with the cover, the height of said stops 8 being predetermined according to the operation requirements of the trickler unit. The stops 8 may also be constituted by lugs or pins attached to the underside of the cover. If desired, in the case of a screw-on cover 6 the vertical movement of member 7 may be adjusted by screwing the cover 6 more or less into housing 1.

Owing to the construction of the regulating member, i.e. the flat bottom surface lying opposite to the convex surface, the regulating memberwill always be centered in relation to the outlet, so that distor tions in the flow and in the control of the flow are eliminated, so that the operation of the trickler unit according to the invention is stable.

It can well be appreciated that the manufacturing costs of the trickler unit above described are considerably less than those of known trickler units of this kind. Furthermore, it is possible to use the same injection mold with means of different diameters to produce trickler units having orifices of different sizes and thus different outflows.

Claims (4)

1. A trickler unit comprising a cup-shaped housing with an integral axially extending tube which is adapted to be in communication with a supply pipe, the bottom of said housing having a flat inner surface in which an inlet orifice is provided in communication with said tube and outlet openings at its periphery, a regulating member in the form of a lens-shaped disc having a convex surface facing said orifice and a flat surface facing a cover by which said housing is closed, stops being provided for limiting the vertical movement of said disc.

2. A trickler unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the stops are made integral with the cover.

3. A trickler unit as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein said cover is attached to the housing by a screw thread, by press-fit, heat welding or the like.

4. A trickler unit substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated in the accompanying drawing.